Recent Gallup surveys conducted in the United States, Canada,
and Great Britain* suggest that Canadians are more likely to have a
positive view of the quality of the environment in their country
than are their British and American "cousins." However, a majority
of the citizens in each of these countries are satisfied with the
quality of their respective nation's environment.
Quality of the Environment
More Canadians rate the quality of their environment as
"excellent" or "good" (54%) than either Americans (43%) or Britons
(39%). Although Americans and Britons who classify their country's
environment as excellent or good are in the minority, majorities of
those in each country say they are satisfied with the
quality of the environment. Fifty-two percent of Americans are
satisfied with the quality of the environment, as are 53% of
Britons and 61% of Canadians.
Majorities of Americans, Britons, and Canadians also feel,
however, that the quality of the environment as a whole is getting
worse in their countries. Nearly 6 in 10 Americans (58%) and
Canadians (59%) think the quality of the environment is getting
worse in their countries; 52% of Britons see the environment headed
in the same direction. With majorities in each country
expresssing a gloomy forecast for future conditions, it will
be interesting to see whether satisfaction levels change over the
next few decades.
Environmental Involvement
So if majorities in each country think the environment is
getting worse, are they doing anything about it? Canadians are
slightly more likely than Americans and Britons to view themselves
as "active participants" in the environmental movement; 18% of
Canadians describe themselves as such, compared with 12% of Britons
and 14% of Americans. Britons, however, are most likely to define
themselves as "sympathetic, but not active" in the environmental
movement (59% of Britons, compared with 48% of Canadians and 47% of
Americans). Eight percent of Americans, consider themselves
"unsympathetic" to the environmental movement, compared with 3% of
Canadians and Britons. Many residents of all three
countries think the quality of the environment is headed
downhill, but far fewer find it important enough to do
something about.
Which Priority: The Environment or Economic
Growth?
When asked to make a choice between protecting the environment
at the risk of curbing economic growth, or giving economic growth
priority even if the environment suffers, Canadians and Britons
overwhelmingly choose the environment. About two-thirds (67%) of
both British and Canadian respondents say the environment should be
given priority, while 22% and 26%, respectively, say the economy
should be given priority. While Americans also tend to favor the
environment in this conflict, they are more divided; 49% say the
environment should be given priority, while 44% say economic growth
should be given priority.
These findings probably reflect the public's perceptions of the
economy in each country. Only 45% of Americans are "very" or
"somewhat" satisfied with their country's economy, as opposed to
61% of Canadians and 60% of Britons. By comparison, in April 2000,
when the U.S. economy was thriving, 67% of Americans said the
environment should be given priority and only 28% said economic
growth should be given priority.
*Results in the United States are based on telephone
interviews with 1,000 national adults, aged 18 and older, conducted
May 2-4, 2004. For results based on the total sample of national
adults, one can say with 95% confidence that the maximum margin of
sampling error is ±3 percentage points. The survey was
conducted by Gallup USA.
Results in Canada are based on telephone interviews with
1,003 national adults, aged 18 and older, conducted April 29-May
12, 2004. For results based on the total sample of national adults,
one can say with 95% confidence that the maximum margin of sampling
error is ±3 percentage points. The survey was conducted by
Gallup Canada.
Results in Great Britain are based on telephone interviews
with 1,018 national adults, aged 18 and older, conducted April
25-May 5, 2004. For results based on the total sample of national
adults, one can say with 95% confidence that the maximum margin of
sampling error is ±3 percentage points. The survey was
conducted by Gallup UK.
In addition to sampling error, question wording and
practical difficulties in conducting surveys can introduce error or
bias into the findings of public opinion polls.
